Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Day 23/50
Chania, Crete, Greece
69F, cloudy, some sun—we were back at
the ship before the rain started
Harbor at Chania, Crete
Dear Readers, Are you ready for History Lesson #241?? There is just too much history in the Mediterranean, most of which is quite fascinating. I am trying not to be tedious but I don't know if I am succeeding! I love hearing words like Minoan, Phoenician, Greek, Cretan, Roman, Venetian, and so much more! Here we go----
Crete is another island that TK visited
in the U.S. Navy, even where the Island Princess docked, Souda Bay. Our $15/pp roundtrip shuttle (20 minute ride)
dropped us off in Chania in a well-defined area. It was an easy walk to the Old
Town, which was already vibrant by 9 a.m.
I did not realize there were three cruise ships in port today until I
saw all the people.
Chania is the second-largest city on
the island of Crete, Greece, featuring a permanent municipality population of
111,375 residents as of the 2021 census.
The city proper has about 54,000 residents.
The port is built on the ancient Minoan
settlement of Kydonia, with distinct Venetian, Ottoman, and Greek influences. Main attractions include the 14th-century
Venetian Harbor and narrow old-town streets.
The economy is driven by agriculture (olive oil, citrus, wine) and
tourism.
Park near our drop off point
Streets are easily navigated
Today was “Oxi” Day” all over Greece. Written
“Όχι” in Greek, the word means “No.” The holiday recalls the early hours of 28
October 1940, when Italian ambassador Emanuele Grazzi delivered an ultimatum
from Benito Mussolini to Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas. Italy demanded
permission to enter and occupy strategic parts of Greece. Metaxas rejected the
demand, popularly remembered as a firm “Ochi”/ “Όχι.” Our Greek server where we ate said it was pronounced O she, but others, not Greek, said O he. I don't know.
Greek military at attention
Dignitaries escorted into the church
The holiday is not a celebration of
war. It is a remembrance of the human cost of conflict and the value Greeks
place on freedom and self-determination.
Crete has a particularly powerful
connection to the Second World War. After mainland Greece fell in 1941, the
island became the site of the Battle of Crete, one of the conflict’s
most significant airborne operations.
The battle involved Allied forces,
Greek soldiers, and Cretan civilians resisting German invasion. Crete’s wartime
experience is still remembered through memorials, cemeteries, museums, and
local family stories.
A Greek Orthodox Bishop escorted into the church
We were able to observe part of the solemn
ceremony—uniformed soldiers and sailors lined up at the entrance of the Holy
Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary (Trimartiri), a
Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Soldiers and
Sailors were standing at attention while dignitaries and the Priest entered the
church. Later a parade was scheduled,
but we did not see that.
Holy Metropolitan Church of the
Presentation of the Virgin Mary (Trimartiri)
While enjoying the perfect waterfront,
our stops also included various shops, Starbucks, and Gyros Chania. We decided
not to take chances and purchased Crete, Rhodes, and Athens coffee
cups—sometimes tours do not allow time to wander around and find a Starbucks.
TK is way way in the back
3 more coffee cups! Another couple bought
5 cups, we are not the only ones
who like these cups!
The harbor area was beautiful, with restaurants circling the water with a Venetian lighthouse and a Mosque on either side of the entrance. The Mosque Yalı Tzami, which blends Renaissance and Arabic Islamic styles, was constructed in 1645 after the Ottoman conquest of Chania, it was dedicated to Küçük Hasan Pasha, the first Turkish military governor. It was the first mosque built in Crete under Ottoman rule. Today it is used for exhibitions.
Mosque Yalı Tzami
The beautiful Venetian lighthouse is one of the oldest in the whole world. Located at the entrance of the port of Chania, it was built in 1864 on the site of the original lighthouse built by the Venetians in 1645. The Chania Lighthouse was originally a naval post created by the Venetians to protect the city from the oncoming Turks or pirates.
In 1645, the Turks took control of the city, during which the lighthouse was left to ruins. Egyptian troops, who were aiding the Ottoman Empire in protecting Crete, rebuilt the lighthouse in 1864--- only the base of the original lighthouse remains. In May 1915 a fixed white light was installed, marking it is an official lighthouse in Greece's network. The lighthouse suffered damage in World War II and was refurbished in 2006.
At Gyros Chania, we ordered an appetizer
listed as olives. The server delivered a
bowl of probably 25 delicious olives (with pits) along with 3 pieces of fresh
pita bread! Cost: 3 euros, about
$3.45. After that, TK enjoyed a “small” pork
gyro, while I had pasticcio, a layered lasagna like entrée. The pasticcio was
served with French fries??? and lettuce, fresh tomato, and cucumbers—13 euros
about $14. They even served Pepsi
Max—what??? No Coke??
Appetizer: a bowl of olives and warm pita
Janie's Pastitsio / παστίτσιο
TK's Gyro / γύρος
Today was a short day for us, we cannot believe how tired we are with so many ports to see.
TK’s Takes: There were a lot of women in the military
units that we saw today. Cats are
wandering throughout the city. There were a lot of gelato shops, he said he has never seen so many. He also
spotted a pet rabbit huddling near a shop, it must be a tame one because he saw
its cage and water. I never know what photos he will come up with.
B2 should like these 2 photos
He saw lots of cats-that must have
been the inspiration for this photo
at a souvenir shop
